As the Senate progresses with Bill S-2, discussions persist on its effectiveness in addressing lingering discrimination in Indian Act registration. The bill aims to eliminate remaining sex-based biases in the registration system, particularly those linked to enfranchisement, where individuals involuntarily lose their status to attain full citizenship. Additionally, it offers a process to reunite women who were compelled to join their husband’s band post-marriage with their original communities, allows individuals to voluntarily remove themselves from the registry, and eliminates outdated and offensive language in the Indian Act.
Senators are deliberating on whether to move the bill forward in its current form or include amendments like abolishing the “second-generation cut-off,” which terminates status after two generations of a non-status parent. During a recent session, Madeleine Redfern, interim CEO of the Native Women’s Association of Canada (NWAC), expressed NWAC’s support for Bill S-2. However, she highlighted that the bill overlooks critical registration issues such as the second-generation cut-off and communities’ autonomy over their membership decisions.
Redfern, an Inuk from Iqaluit, cited the Nunavut Agreement as an illustration of self-determination regarding identity and community affiliation determination. Senator Mary Jane McCallum mentioned that in its current state, the bill could reinstate status for nearly 6,000 individuals. If amended to eliminate the second-generation cut-off, up to 225,000 people could become eligible for status, as emphasized by Pam Palmater, chair in Indigenous Governance at Toronto Metropolitan University.
Palmater urged immediate government action, stressing the urgency to remove the second-generation cut-off. Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak also expressed support for the bill’s objectives but cautioned that it represents just a small stride in eradicating registration discrimination. She emphasized the need for Indigenous peoples to have a say in determining their identities and rights within the legislative framework.
The committee is set to convene for further discussions on Wednesday evening.
